ISLAMABAD: Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar told the house during question hour that our tax collection also witnessed twenty seven percent growth before the breakout of Covid-19. He said the post pandemic has seen thirty percent decline in tax collection but expressed the confidence that the situation will improve as the business activities are being resumed.

Senate was informed that due to steps taken by the government  the number of tax filers has increased from1.6 million to 2.6 million in a period of one year.

Responding to a supplementary question, the Minister informed the house that the losses of state owned enterprises surpassed the annual defense budget due to the indecisiveness and regressive policies of previous governments. He said the previous governments failed to revive or privatize Pakistan Steel Mills. Today the debt of Pakistan Steel Mills stands at 230 billion rupees. He said the government has now decided to lease out the core steel mills operations to revive Pakistan Steel Mills.